CFTRI initiative aims to standardise micronutrient testing in fortified rice

A one-day national colloquium on “Harmonization of Micronutrient Testing and Laboratory Quality Assurance for Food Fortification (NutriQA–2026)” was organised at CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CSIR-CFTRI), Mysuru, on Friday (November 13, 2026). The colloquium brought together eminent technical experts, representatives from Technical Support Units (TSUs), National Food Laboratories (NFLs), private testing laboratories, scientists and laboratory professionals to deliberate on strengthening analytical capabilities and harmonizing laboratory practices for food fortification.

Dr. Giridhar Parvatam, Director, CSIR-CFTRI; Prof. Jatindra Kumar Sahu, IIT Delhi; and Dr. S. Nagarajan, Head, Food Safety and Analytical Quality Control Laboratory (FSAQCL), CSIR-CFTRI were present.

In his address, Dr. Giridhar Parvatam highlighted the importance of strengthening analytical quality control and quality assurance systems to ensure the reliability of micronutrient testing in fortified foods. He emphasised the need for harmonised analytical methods, standardised laboratory protocols, competency-based training and collaborative efforts among laboratories to minimise inter-laboratory variations and generate accurate and reproducible results.

CSIR-CFTRI, in association with NIFTEM-Kundli, has been actively involved in capacity-building initiatives over the past three years to strengthen analytical competencies in the determination of vitamin B9, vitamin B12 and iron in fortified rice. The initiative is supported by IIT Delhi through funding from the Gates Foundation. Through these efforts, the institute has been contributing to strengthening the quality assurance framework for rice fortification by imparting technical training and promoting standardized analytical practices among government and private laboratory personnel across the country, a press release said.

The colloquium featured three technical sessions delivered by eminent experts in the field. Dr. Lalitha R. Gowda, former Chief Scientist and former Head, FSAQCL, CSIR-CFTRI; Dr. A. Jayadeep, former Chief Scientist and former Head, FSAQCL, CSIR-CFTRI; and Prof. Sirimavo Nair, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (MSU), Vadodara, Gujarat, shared their technical expertise and insights on various aspects of micronutrient testing, laboratory quality assurance, and qualitative performance criteria.

A significant component of NutriQA–2026 was the pre-consultation workshop on Quality Assurance – Fine-Tuning the Training of Trainers (ToT) Training Guide. The workshop facilitated group discussions among experts and participants on different thematic areas related to laboratory quality assurance. The deliberations focused on reviewing and refining the Master Trainer Guide and Training Toolkit Checklist to ensure uniformity in training delivery, practical demonstrations, analytical procedures and competency assessment across participating laboratories, it said.

The discussions also addressed practical challenges associated with the determination of iron, vitamin B9 and vitamin B12 in premixes, fortified rice kernels (FRK) and fortified rice. The participants deliberated on harmonising sampling and analytical protocols, standardising quantitative testing procedures and strengthening competency assessment mechanisms.

The colloquium provided an important platform for knowledge exchange, technical deliberations and collaborative recommendations towards establishing a robust and sustainable network of competent laboratories across India. The initiative aims to minimise inter-laboratory variability and ensure accurate, reproducible and comparable analytical results, thereby strengthening confidence in the country’s food fortification programmes, according to the CSIR-CFTRI.